ASHES: A Battle between England and Australia

The Ashes refer to a series of test cricket between Australia and England. It is mostly organized by the cricket team that have recently won the test series. The test series of Ashes originated when Australia won the test match for the first time at the soil of England in 1882. The test match was played at Oval.

ASHES: A Battle between England and Australia

ASHES: A Battle between England and Australia

The critics claimed that the English Cricket had died as the Australia took the Ashes trophy to home. However, after the loss England team captain Ivo Bligh vowed to regain the trophy in the next Ashes series held in 1882-1883 in Australia. Therefore, the tour of England team to Australia was merely seen as an attempt to regain the Ashes trophy.

After England has won two matches in a total of three test matches at Australia’s soil, the English captain Ivo Bligh was given an urn by a bunch of Melbourne Women which also included Florence Morphy which with Bligh ties knot within a year. The wooden bail of the ashes trophy contains the contents of the urn.

However, the urn was never an Ashes trophy but instead, it was presented to Bligh as a personal gift from Melbourne Cricket Council (MCC). The victorious team of the Ashes are however given the urn replicas which they aloft as a symbol of winning the Ashes. Since 1998-1999, the Ashes urn has been covered by a Waterford Crystal which then becomes an official trophy of the Ashes and is presented to the winning teams of the series.

No matter whichever side wons the Ashes trophy, the urn always remain in the museum of MCC at Lords. In addition, it was taken twice to Australia. For the first time in 1988 when the celebrations of Australian Bicentenary were held and then in 2006-2007 to accompany the test series of Ashes in that time.

The Ashes series is a traditionally five test match series which is either hosted by England or Australia after every four years. The most recent Ashes series was won by England following the 2015 year when England has won three of total five test matches against Australia. As the first tournament of Ashes was held in 1882, thus overall 32 series have been won by England while England holds 32 ashes series and five series have been drawn.

In 1897-98, Australia holds the Ashes series by winning 4-1 to England under the command of Captain Harry Trott. However, under the captaincy of another successor Joe Darling, Australia won three consecutive Ashes series from 1899 to 1902 respectively. Therefore, it became as one of the famous history in the world of cricket. In 1902, a total of five test matches were played but the first two were drawn due to bad weather conditions. England scored a total of 376 runs in the first test match.

However, Australia only scores 36 with Wilfred Rhodes took 7 wickets just for giving 17 runs but the first two test matches of the series were drawn unfortunately. On the hand, Australia won the other two matches on Old Trafford and Bramall Lane respectively. The outstanding period of Captain Joe Darling has set a basis for the emergence of outstanding Australian Cricket Players including Monty Noble, Warwick Armstrong, Clem Hill, James Kelly, Ernie Jones and Hugh Trumble etc.

For over 132 years since 1883, Australia was able to won the Ashes for 78.5 years and that of England as 53.5 years. Australian players have scored around 264 centuries in which 23 were able to score above 200 in the Ashes test. On the othe hand, English players have scored over 212 centuries among which 10 players were able to score above 200.